Tristam Galahand
Tristam Galahand was a Knight of the Silver Hand and father of Melkorius Galahand. He also served in the Order of the Sword as a Knight-Champion and the Swordbearer. (Moonglade EU) History The Early Life of Tristam He was born in the town of Lakeshire, in the mountains of Redridge. His mother had hailed from Strom in the heart of Arathi. He never knew his father. At the age of sixteen, Tristam took a job guarding the Stonewatch Keep nearby. By his nineteenth birthday, he had progressed to the rank of Corporal. He had always admired the knights that marched in and out of the keep each day, and had always wished to ride with them into battles. Deciding to resign, he then took up service as a squire to a great knight close to his family, who taught him all about chivalry and the Light, and trained him with the sword and shield. On his twenty-second birthday, Stonewatch was filled with celebration for Tristam's initiation into knighthood. He was now among the respected Knights of Stonewatch. The Exodus, and the Sword Tristam and Stonewatch's cavalry were returning from a campaign one day, having slain the orcish invaders that threatened to siege their keep. Yet their march back to the keep through the Redridge Mountains was interrupted, by a sorcerer of Dalaran. Sent as an emissary by Lady Jaina Proudmoore's command, he told Tristam and his men of the fleets that were to sail to Kalimdor, in order to find a new land and a new kingdom. Tristam and a handful of others accepted, planning to head north to Menethil Harbor. Later Tristam was known to have been visited by the remains of a secretive order who seeked to grant him the runeblade Galardell for his adventures, and for his half-elven lineage, as the last Galahand descendant. His Quel'dorei father had been the last of the name, and died in the Second War. The Order had feared the Sword would never have a rightful wielder again, til they learned of a southern halfbreed, Tristam. Promising to use the blade to enforce the Light's will in Kalimdor, Tristam then sheathed the sword and took upon the surname Galahand, and accepted his initiation as the highest-ranked figure among their group, the 'Swordbearer', amongst an order that swore to serve the wielder of Galardell forever. The valley then became known as Galardell Valley, and a feast was held in Stonewatch Keep to celebrate. Sir Tristam, his wife Anthea, and his children Melkorius and Inell soon after set out to Menethil Harbor with all their belongings. On the road through the Wetlands, the party from Stonewatch was sieged by orcs. Many were killed or taken hostage, and only a few survived. Tristam watched his wife murdered, and his son, Melkorius, dragged off by orcs. When the party regrouped and ransacked the orcish encampent, his son was nowhere to be found, presumed to have been burnt atop the pile of human corpses with the rest. When the fleet arrived on Kalimdor, Sir Tristam aided Lady Jaina's forces and served in her armies with his runeblade at hand. Upon Theramore's completion, Tristam began learning the ways of the Knights of the Silver Hand. The Battle of Theramore * Main article: Battle of Theramore The New Order of the Sword With Theramore again at peace, Tristam continued serving Lady Jaina and aided restoring the city to it's former state. Tristam travelled to the Cathedral of Light in Stormwind City to seek out the newly appointed Grand Master of his Order, the Order of the Sword, Ajaxicullies Valor. The order then grew under Ajaxicullies' rule, and was transformed from a sect of scholarly knights and priests and became a renowned force among the Alliance, and was stationed at many local areas, such as Raven Hill and Lakeshire. Tristam earned his respect back in his home at Stonewatch, as many had accused him of deserting the Eastern Kingdoms when he left to Kalimdor years ago. Eventually, Ajax decided to withdraw his men from their posts around Stormwind, and marched the order north to Southshore then Andorhal, to enforce the light's will in Lordaeron. This eventually led to Ajax leading an assault on the Scarlet Monastery, due to his hate for the Crusade, having been tortured by them in youth. Tristam and many of the knights would not follow Ajax into battle against fellow followers of the light, and for this, Ajax began to treat Tristam as less of a hero, and spawned a growing hate for him. This led to a conflict between the two in Southshore, resulting in Ajax breaking Tristam's arm before fleeing on horseback from the guards, heading to the monastery to slaughter any scarlets in his path, taking upon the title 'The Scarlet Bane'. A month later, with Tristam's arm on the mend, he followed him, to put an end to this madness whilst he could. Arriving at Chillwind Camp, Tristam decided to pray at Uther's Tomb before scouring Lordaeron to kill Ajax. Much to both of their surprise, Tristam found Ajax also praying at the tomb. After little conversation, Ajax striked at Tristam, which resulted in a long battle between the two, forgetting the disrespect they both commited in Uther's presensce. Eventually, Tristam succeeded in striking Galardell into Ajax's stomach. Assuming victory, Tristam pulled back out his runeblade. Though, with a loud snap and flash of light, Tristam looked down to realise Galardell had broken in two. He held in his hand Galardell's hilt and a stub of the blade, whilst leaving almost three-quarters of the actual blade in Ajax's chest. Tristam left, shocked, and returned to Theramore. Artisan blacksmiths there forged together the steel in Gavinrad the Dire's old hammer and the hilt of Galardell to form Clarent, a sword half the strength of Galardell. Learning of this, Ajaxicullies travelled to Ironforge and had an old dwarven friend do the same, and forged a blade called Nazrian. Instead of using steel like that from the hammer which Tristam used, Ajax forged the blade with felsteel. After it's forging, Ajaxicullies took back to rampaging through Lordaeron with his new half-runeblade, slaying any of the Scourge or the Scarlet Crusade that passed him. Enraged, he returned to the Cathedral of Light to pray, before setting out. Ajax travelled all the way to Theramore to seek out Tristam, to kill him and take the other reforged shard of Galardell, Clarent; to reforge the runeblade Galardell. He told the guards of the Foothold Citadel that his visit expected by Tristam, as a fellow knight of the Order of the Sword, lying only to be granted entrance to the Citadel. Entering the Highlord's Hall, Ajax approached Tristam and tried to kill him by engaging in combat. After a short fight which resulted in the death of a few of Theramore's soldiers by Ajax's hand, Tristam stood victorious with both Clarent and Nazrian at hand, over a powerless and defeated Ajaxicullies. Tristam allowed the weakling to live by telling him to leave, vowing if he ever saw him again he'd face Galardell's wrath. With both Clarent and Nazrian, Tristam then later set out upon word of another forgotten sect of the Order of the Sword still thriving on the Outland. He ventured beyond the Dark Portal and sought them out at Honour Hold. What became of the runeblade(s) since is a mystery. Death Sir Tristam returned to Azeroth, taking up a hammer instead and serving Theramore as an exemplary Knight of the Silver Hand. Years later, Tristam is thought to have been among the fallen during the mana-bomb dropped on Theramore...